The Jets Can’t Dog It Against Raiders

Two years ago, during his rookie season, in the fourth quarter of a 38-0 blowout win over a then-quite-horrible Oakland Raiders, Mark Sanchez ate a hot dog. On the list of Controversial Incidents in New York Jets History, this is tiny beans, somewhere above "Mark Gastineau burps too close to the offensive huddle." When it happened, we thought it was so dumb it'd be forgotten in a week. But, sort of hilariously, the Raiders are still talking about it.

We didn't even know there were still Raiders on the team who played in Oakland in 2009. But Raiders coach Hue Jackson, who was in freaking Baltimore in 2009, is making a thing out of it.

On Wednesday, coach Hue Jackson pulled up the clip of the snacking quarterback, who experienced a case of late-game munchies and was caught on camera in the fourth quarter of the New York Jets' 38-0 victory in Oakland. "Coach showed that to us," defensive tackle Tommy Kelly told the Oakland Tribune. "It was just a reminder. We're going to remind him of that during the game." Really? "Oh, most definitely," Kelly said. "I'll say a lot to him."

It is distressing to learn that the Raiders are so bored with a matchup with the Jets. (Also: People who work in football do strange things, perhaps because of all the hitting.)

The game is a big one for both teams. The Raiders are coming off a thrilling-but-disappointing loss to the Bills — who have a massive (for them) game at home against New England on Sunday, one we will actually be attending — and the Jets could use a 3-0 start before the schedule starts getting tough. The Jets' next six games: at Baltimore, at New England, home against Miami (a game the Jets have lost two years running), home against San Diego, at Buffalo, home against New England. Some rough ones in there, and Rex Ryan's boys might be fortunate to get out 3-3. So wins like this one, against teams that are good but not top tier, are vital. Just keep the snacks away. We don't want to be talking about this again in two years.